Moving Up

Rod D. Lipscomb, Ph.D., was appointed dean of student services at the New York Institute of Technology. Prior to joining NYIT, Lipscomb was assistant to the president and director of central promotions at Florida State University. He also served as an advisor to diverse student organizations, including the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Phi Beta Sigma Honor Society and the Florida State University Black Student Union. In his new position, he aims to build a collaborative effort between the diverse groups he serves at NYIT: students, the administration and the wider New York community.

Beny J. Primm, M.D.

Beny J. Primm, M.D., was named to the Presidential Council on HIV/AIDS. Primm is president of the Brooklyn-based Urban Resource Institute and executive director of the Addiction Research and Treatment Corp. The advisory council provides advice and recommendations to the president and the secretary of health and human services on HIV/AIDS research, prevention and treatment. Primm has served four U.S. presidents as a consultant on a variety of substance abuse and public health issues.

Ramona Oliver

Ramona Oliver is the new communications director for EMILY's List, the nation's largest political action committee that works to elect women to public office. Prior to joining EMILY's List, Oliver was communications director for current Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and for the Democratic Governors Association in Washington, D.C. In addition, she has provided strategic communications counsel and integrated marketing expertise for more than 10 years to public and private entities in the health care, banking, hospitality and tourism, utilities, transportation and technology sectors.

Richard T. "Stick" Williams

Richard T. "Stick" Williams was elected chairman of the board of trustees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Williams, a longtime advocate for the university, is vice president of diversity, ethics and compliance at Duke Energy Co. in Charlotte, N.C. A board member of the UNC-Chapel Hill Foundation, he has served on the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on the Black Cultural Center.